Monthly Archives: June 2017

We’d like to welcome Anna Przybylska, Assistant Professor and Head of the Center for Deliberation at the Institute of Sociology, University of Warsaw. She is a visiting researcher in the Department of Communications and New Media under the Isaac Manasseh Meyer Fellowship [IMMF] Scheme from 5 to 19 June 2017. Having studied social sciences with the scope of sociology and social policy at the University of Warsaw and of media and communication at the University of Amsterdam, her academic interests include:

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Curated by NUS’ Communications and New Media’s Dr Nancy Mauro-Flude and Ms Marketa Dolejsova, Microbites of Innovation brings together an international selection of works operating at the intersection of Performance, Art and HumanComputer Interaction. Launching 27 June to 2 July, a cutting edge collection pioneering the nascent world of interdisciplinary art-science-design artworks, Microbites of Innovation represents a significant event for creative arts research worldwide.

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It was a meaningful two days of building awareness and garnering pledges in support of the welfare rights of Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs) in Singapore. The Respect Our Rights: Different Jobs, Same Respect campaign roadshow was held on 8 and 9 April 2017 at Tampines Mall and NEX Shopping Centre.

Initiated by forty-two final-year Communications and New Media students from the National University of Singapore, the roadshow was a result of 12 weeks of preparation over the semester.

Joleen Lee, the project leader of Respect Our Rights: Different Jobs, Same Respect introduces the campaign to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) representative and Guest-of-Honour

The roadshow garnered 1,234 pledges from Singaporeans, who each received a free goodie bag filled with goodies such as a decal with the pledge, as well as a cup of coffee for them to bring home. Every coffee cup was stamped with the words I Respect My Foreign Domestic Worker while each goodie bag had a sticker that served as a reminder to the 3 things that pledge-takers committed to. The 3 things included:

Giving their FDWs a weekly day off,

Not confiscating their FDW’s phone, and

Not keeping their passport if it is against their will

Many participants publicly demonstrated their support by taking pictures at the photobooth with their pledges, which were displayed at the exhibition.

The 3.0 version of Respect Our Rights continues to push for creating spaces for listening to the voices of foreign domestic workers in Singapore. The campaign invites employers to consider the importance of treating foreign domestic workers with respect and encourages simple yet important behaviours.

A highlight of the event, the photo story exhibition featuring real stories shared by FDWs, attracted significant attention from the crowd, who responded by writing encouragement notes to share their love and support to FDWs in Singapore. Informational displays were also present to educate FDW employers on the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) guidelines on the rights of FDWs in Singapore.